It is known that the electrical performance of electrical components in electrical communication with an electrical connection array is, in part, dependent on the quality of the electrical connections contained within the electrical connection array.
In some applications where an electrical connection array is employed, larger than normal tolerances in the positioning of the connection terminations may occur, for example, due to limitations in a manufacturing process used to produce the electrical connection array. These connection position tolerances may have an X- and a Y- and a Z-axis mating variation component. Normally, connection array tolerances are controlled tight enough to assure that the mating terminals in the device connection system array interface properly in alignment, such as may occur when there is minimal external strain on a terminal contact interface within the electrical connection array. If undesired larger than normal tolerances are encountered during the mating of connectors in the electrical connection array, misalignment of the connectors may occur that may cause undesired poor quality or faulty electrical connections that may negatively affect the electrical performance of electrical components electrically connected with the electrical connection array. In other circumstances, connectors in the connection system array may not be matable as a result of excessive tolerance variation or may be irrevocably damaged during the mating process due to connector misalignment that may undesirably leave the electrical components inoperative. Additional servicing to repair a damaged electrical connection array may also undesirably increase service costs. A robust, consistent, smooth mating of connectors in the connection array having mating tolerance variation between the connectors remains desirable especially where the mating tolerance has at least an axial, or Z-axis component along the mating axis. In electrical applications where a large number of connections are required, it may be advantageous to be able to gang some number of connections together in a single arrangement where the connections mate in a single unimpeded mating connection to save time and allow for ease of assembly.
Thus, what is needed is a reliable, robust electrical connection system that allows for positional mating tolerance variation between multiple connectors having at least a Z-axis positional mating tolerance variation component in the electrical connection system that is absorbed within the electrical connection system so that repeatable, consistent, and high-quality electrical connections in the electrical connection system are attained when connectors in the electrical connection system are mated. The absorption of at least the Z-axis positional mating tolerance variation component within the electrical connection system is also being unaffected by the number of mating devices and/or the number of terminations within the mating devices in the mating device arrangement.